[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by dhandapanik

Whether ABT changed the livery and stickerings too? Good that they changed the seatings as per their model..

The bus looks like their own. Yesterday saw at 5.45 at hosur

[vnabhi]

Guys

I might have to travel to Bangalore for a wedding on May 28th. As trains are full, I was exploring the sleeper bus option. I don't feel comfortable in Volvo semi-sleepers as I cannot turn my body while trying to sleep.

I found that ticket prices for AC sleeper berth varies from Rs 1100 to 1600, the cheapest being Neelu Travels (a newbie) and Orange being the costliest. Any feedback will be of great help. I need to reach BLR by 9 am latest, and the venue is at Poornima Convention Hall, Jayanagar.

Also, what is the difference between '1+1' and '2+1' for sleeper berth design?

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by PVS

Interesting. I was checking their site, and they now have services to Nagpur, Raipur & Bhilai as well. Good going..

The Bhubaneshwar service costs Rs 1600/- per seat with an approx journey time of 17:15 hours from Hyd to BBS and 16:00 hours in the return direction. Wondering why the outbound service consumes an hour and 15 minutes extra!
Probably they would be routing this service via Vijayawada itself..

So, this is a useful option for folks who are unable to get confirmed accomodation on a train to BBS and beyond. At least they can travel to BBS in relative comfort now..

PVS: They have also started services to Ahmedabad via Baroda, bombay. I think the change in duration could be of 2 reasons: 1: Number of pick up points to pick up the passengers 2: the time of travels through busy sections. Yes they are going through Vijayawada, Vizag. So they will be able to get good load factors since touching these cities.

[venki.bala]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Guys

I might have to travel to Bangalore for a wedding on May 28th. As trains are full, I was exploring the sleeper bus option. I don't feel comfortable in Volvo semi-sleepers as I cannot turn my body while trying to sleep.

I found that ticket prices for AC sleeper berth varies from Rs 1100 to 1600, the cheapest being Neelu Travels (a newbie) and Orange being the costliest. Any feedback will be of great help. I need to reach BLR by 9 am latest, and the venue is at Poornima Convention Hall, Jayanagar.

Also, what is the difference between '1+1' and '2+1' for sleeper berth design?

Vnabhi: I am not sure about the 1+1 or 2+1 design, but Orange is a good operator with very good customer service. I would not prefer Neelu over Orange.

[PVS]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Guys

I might have to travel to Bangalore for a wedding on May 28th. As trains are full, I was exploring the sleeper bus option. I don't feel comfortable in Volvo semi-sleepers as I cannot turn my body while trying to sleep.

I found that ticket prices for AC sleeper berth varies from Rs 1100 to 1600, the cheapest being Neelu Travels (a newbie) and Orange being the costliest. Any feedback will be of great help. I need to reach BLR by 9 am latest, and the venue is at Poornima Convention Hall, Jayanagar.

Also, what is the difference between '1+1' and '2+1' for sleeper berth design?

Venu, how about APSRTC's Vennela ISUZU service? Its comfortable and comes in a 1+1 option. You get a water bottle and a blanket, and given the superb condition of the road, you should experience a good night's sleep. it drops you at Shantinagar by around 07:00 am. From there you could get Volvos to Jayanagar.

Just imagine an Indian Railways AC 2 Tier coach with no side berths and only inside berths, 2 lower and 2 upper berths facing each other, that is 1+1.Of course, the dimensions of the berths are a bit lesser compared to those found on a train. You'd be better off on board a 1+1, avoid a 2+1.

[binaiks]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Guys

I might have to travel to Bangalore for a wedding on May 28th. As trains are full, I was exploring the sleeper bus option. I don't feel comfortable in Volvo semi-sleepers as I cannot turn my body while trying to sleep.

I found that ticket prices for AC sleeper berth varies from Rs 1100 to 1600, the cheapest being Neelu Travels (a newbie) and Orange being the costliest. Any feedback will be of great help. I need to reach BLR by 9 am latest, and the venue is at Poornima Convention Hall, Jayanagar.

Also, what is the difference between '1+1' and '2+1' for sleeper berth design?

I guess your origin is Hyderabad - since Orange features in the list.

1+1 sleeper is normally similar to 2A Coaches of trains - there are small coupes, which has 4 berths. Some operators provide options like individual LCD screens for the passengers, while some provide one LCD Screen per coupe where they'd play movies. In this design the berths are perpendicular to the direction of movement.

An example: (image taken from the internet - copyrights rest with the original uploader/photographer)


2+1 Sleeper is the "old school" design. In these buses, the berths are parallel to the direcion of movement. There would be single berths on the left side of the bus, and double berths on the right side of the bus. So people traveling as a "family" find it convenient to book the double berths, especially when traveling with kids.

Some interior pics of the 2+1 Sleeper design (this is the "Neelu" sleeper you mentioned in your post)




Technically speaking 2+1 berth layout is not permitted in Andhra - only 1+1 design buses are officially permitted to enter Andhra - but you know that Indian laws come with loopholes built into it.

[vnabhi]

Thanks venki.bala, pvs and binaiks. Those pictures were wonderful and now all my questions have been fully answered.

@pvs--can you provide me the link to book by APSRTC? I traveled a few years back on their Garuda, and it was not very pleasant at that time. Their so-called colour tv showed all images in green, and no other colour!

I think it might be better to see which service is close to my house at Hyd and drops me close to Jayanagar. Late night start may be better.

[PVS]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

Thanks venki.bala, pvs and binaiks. Those pictures were wonderful and now all my questions have been fully answered.

@pvs--can you provide me the link to book by APSRTC? I traveled a few years back on their Garuda, and it was not very pleasant at that time. Their so-called colour tv showed all images in green, and no other colour!

I think it might be better to see which service is close to my house at Hyd and drops me close to Jayanagar. Late night start may be better.

Venu - you would need to visit apsrtconline.in, and sign up there. Once you sign up (abhibus.com sends you a confirmation mail), you are all set to book.
You would need to give Hyderabad MGBS and Bengaluru Shantinagar as your origin and destination points respectively, and select AC Services. You will find only 1 Vennela Service - starts at Chandanagar and departs from MGBS at 2215 and reached Shantinagar at 0645 hours the next day. Fare is Rs 1346 I guess.
Once you are done booking, all you need to do is to show the booking conformation number to the driver when you board the bus.

[gold class]

Originally Posted by dhandapanik

Whether ABT changed the livery and stickerings too? Good that they changed the seatings as per their model.

Any idea whether they will be adding any more Multi-Axle services in other routes? I really surprised to see them in Bangalore-Nagercoil route. I initially thought that they will start it from Coimbatore. They started their operations with Coimbatore-Chennai and Pollachi-Chennai routes.

As per my reliable sources ABT plans to lease out 6 more multi axles on yearly contract.Since it is running on a long term contract agreement they have changed the livery to that of ABT standard.
They started Blr-Nkvl service since the KA tax for both the buses has been paid and running within TN would be pure wastage of KA tax for two months.

[Ashley2]

Originally Posted by vnabhi

...
I found that ticket prices for AC sleeper berth varies from Rs 1100 to 1600, the cheapest being Neelu Travels (a newbie) and Orange being the costliest. Any feedback will be of great help..

Neelu is not a Newbie. Almost entire fleet of sharma (including the first Mercedes Benz) running in Blore - Hyd route are owned by them. They have recently purchased AL - Luxura and are running in Hyd-Blore in their own name apart from other regular buses with Sharma.

The reason they are cheaper is they have 32 berths as aganist 24 berths in Orange. So Orange is costlier.
In case you are planning to return by bus, you can try Neelu. Back to back you can review 1+1 and 2+1 type sleepers.

[coolclouds]

Traveled Trichur-Bangalore by KeSRTC Munnar-Bangalore Super Deluxe yesterday. All other buses including 8 and 9pm TCR Super Expresses were full.

Trichur bus stand: 8.15pm
Edappal: 9.04pm
Kottakkal: 9.50 - 10.20 (Dinner break)
Kozhikode: 11.20 - 11.25pm
Kalpatta: 1 am
Sulthan Bathery: 1.30 - 1.50am (Fuel)
Mysore: 4 am
Bangalore (Satellite): 6.35am

This is one bus permitted to enter forest gates during night and usually seats are available till last moment.

[nbr]

Neelu Travels - BLR - HYD . Surprised to find this Rear engined Ashok Leyland . Images are their company website .

Source: www.neelutravels.in

[dhandapanik]

Clicked this KPN sleeper bus while it was resting in Udumalpet. KPN Owned buses used to have Sharvesh stickers. But this has a "Sabari" sticker. Is this owned by a different person and leased to KPN?

[silversteed]

Kerala SRTC had floated tenders for procuring chassis to build Super Deluxe buses. There are a lot of rumours - that all 50 chassis are being supplied by TML, there are 30 AL and 20 TML chassis, some even claiming that the buses are ready and will be rolled out before Onam, some of them claiming that the new buses are of a different design, etc.

Does anyone have some info?

The TVLA-BLR Super Deluxe buses will be off that route by the end of July because they complete 5 years of service, and the corporation cannot run the same bus as SDX for more than 5 years of age. There's no mention of replacement buses at all, hence wondering if the TVLA depot would make do with a Super Express, or simply cancel this route completely. The story is the same with other Super Deluxe routes too.

[Transsenger]

Originally Posted by silversteed

Kerala SRTC had floated tenders for procuring chassis to build Super Deluxe buses. There are a lot of rumours - that all 50 chassis are being supplied by TML, there are 30 AL and 20 TML chassis,

Does anyone have some info?
.

It is 30 TML buses and 20 AL buses that are going to come.
Source: KeSRTC web site